Editor's Review

After years of neglect, the former Casa Loma hotel reopened in 2011 following a $2 million renovation. More than 40 local designers pitched in to create 26 cleverly themed guestrooms honoring aspects of Oklahoma’s heritage, such as the Route 66 Room and the Tulsa Rose Bowl Room. Fun details in public areas include vintage luggage on the lobby wall.

The Casa Loma room is decorated in an opulent 1920s style with deep green walls, red-fringed curtains and red-and-green bedding. The space is small, but big enough to hold all the basic creature comforts: a king-size bed, desk, seating area and flat-screen TV. Similarly, the bathroom isn’t big either, but it’s full of 1920s charm with a hexagonal-tile floor and a pedestal sink. A nook off the entry holds a mini fridge, microwave and Keurig coffeemaker. Elsewhere, guests can kick back in a beer-and-wine lounge or arrange services in a small spa. In the morning, a self-serve Continental breakfast of cereal, packaged pastries, yogurt, fruit, juice and breakfast bars provides standard sustenance.

Be aware that floors are wood (both in the rooms and the hallways) and they creak, magnifying any footsteps. If you’re a light sleeper, ask for a room on the second floor toward the back, away from the central elevator and stairs. Also note that the main entrance (and free parking) is in the rear of the building, not the front. All in all, the Campbell Hotel is a great place to stay, full of decent amenities and historical charm—and near the University of Tulsa. Room rates start at $139 a night.